ECON 380 Class

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, BAKERSFIELD

Department of Economics

Instructor: Dr. Margaret M. Malixi ECON 3008 (online) – Fall 2016

Office: BDC 258a Gender and Diversity in the Workplace

Office phone: (661)654-2464/2181 email: [email protected]

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:50 p.m. –

5:20 p.m. and by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The demographic composition of the labor force is changing around the world. In the United States,

a growing number of demographically and culturally diverse individuals are working together more

than at any time since the Industrial Revolution. Yet, despite these developments in the workplace,

economic inequalities along the lines of earnings, labor force participation, employment,

occupation, and education, continue to persist. The course addresses the issues of labor market

discrimination according to the following dimensions: race, gender, ethnicity or national origin,

age, sexual orientation, and mental/physical abilities and characteristics. Differences are addressed

from the views of the organization, the individual, and society. The effectiveness of public policies

designed to address discrimination will be evaluated using various measurable indicators such as

labor force participation rates, income and wage differentials, occupational distribution, human

capital accumulation, household production and time allocation.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The main objective of this course is to provide students with the appropriate perspectives, tools and

information for the critical assessment of multidimensional diversity issues in today’s workplace.

The following are the specific goals and objectives of ECON 3008:

Upon completion of ECON 3008 students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of the basis of human diversity: biological, cultural,

historical, social, economic, and ideological;

2. identify and analyze issues of labor market discrimination;

3. identify the major economic and societal consequences and impacts of discrimination from

the perspective of the organization, individual, and society;

4. evaluate the effectiveness of public policies designed to address discriminatory behavior

using measurable indicators such as labor force participation rates, income differentials,

occupational distribution, human capital accumulation, and household production and time

allocation; and

5. recognize, discuss, and demonstrate an understanding of their own beliefs while

maintaining respect for differing world views.

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ECON 3008 is a Junior-Year Diversity Reflection Course in the General Education program. The

following are the General Education goals and outcomes

Goal 1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of their academic pursuits by reflecting on

their studies of the General Education curriculum.

Outcome 1A. Students will demonstrate how the study of the basic skills and ways of

knowing gained through their General Education study contributes to an

understanding of their major.

Outcome 1B. Students will demonstrate how study of the basic skills and ways of

knowing gained through their General Education study contributes to an

understanding of their future and career aspirations.

Goal 2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of, and appreciation for, diverse cultures,

values, and belief systems.

Outcome 2A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basis of human diversity:

biological, cultural, historical, social, economic, and ideological.

Outcome 2B. Students will be able to recognize, discuss, and demonstrate an

understanding of their own beliefs while maintaining respect for differing

world views.

ECON 3008 is an economics elective. The course fulfills the following program learning

objectives of the Economics Major:

Objective 1: Communication skills (formal memo to management providing an economic

analysis of a current workplace gender or diversity issue based on a real

world case study, evaluation and recommendation)

Objective 4: Application skills (workplace-relevant skills: economic evaluation of

workplace issues focusing on gender and diversity issues, formal memo to

management describing the issue, providing economic analysis and

recommendation)

ECON 3008 reinforces the following goals of Area D:

Goal D-1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of major principles, theories, and concepts

in the social and behavioral sciences.

Outcome D-1: Students will define and use basic principles, theories, and concepts in

the social and behavioral sciences to predict and explain behavior as it

relates to the specific area of study.

Goal D-2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how disciplinary knowledge in the

social and behavioral sciences can be used to make sense of the world in which we

live.

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Outcome D-2: Students will apply disciplinary knowledge in the specific area of

study to the understanding of individuals and groups as it relates to

local, and global issues and problems in their contemporary and

historic contexts.

Goal D-3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how knowledge progresses in the social

and behavioral sciences by understanding the scientific method and an acceptance of

diverse perspectives.

Outcome D-3: Students will explain how social and behavioral scientists establish

and evaluate theories in the area of study using the scientific method

and demonstrate an understanding of the challenges and opportunities

in integrating diverse perspectives and achieving epistemological

consensus.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: (See Schedule of Classes)

Exam 1 25% of Final Grade

(Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., online)

Exam 2 25% of Final Grade

(Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., online)

Discussions (weekly, the Discussion Board will be locked 30% of Final Grade

on Sundays at 9:00 p.m.)

Case Analysis 20% of Final Grade

(Due Date: Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, 9:00 p.m., online)

REQUIRED READINGS:

Francine D. Blau, Marianne Ferber, and Anne Winkler, The Economics of Women, Men and Work

seventh edition (New Jersey: Pearson –Prentice Hall, 2014).

: ISBN-10: 0132992817 | ISBN-13: 9780132992817

Various supplemental readings listed in the Course Schedule found on the Blackboard Course

Homepage folder entitled, “Readings”.

Various case studies listed in the Course Schedule found on the Blackboard Homepage folder

entitled, “Case Studies”.

Various videos/DVDs listed in the Course Schedule found on the Blackboard Homepage folder

entitled, “Videos”.

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MAKE-UP EXAM AND PAPER SUBMISSION POLICIES:

Exams are scheduled at the beginning of the quarter. As a rule, there are no make-up exams. If you

cannot take an exam at the scheduled time, you need to make arrangements with me in advance to

take the exam earlier. The weekly discussions must be done on time and cannot be made up. The

Case Analysis is due on date and time, online. No late papers will be accepted.

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

Although this is an online class, university policies on academic dishonesty will be applied strictly.

There are certain forms of conduct that violate the university's policy of academic integrity.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (CHEATING) is a broad category of actions that use fraud and

deception to improve a grade or obtain course credit. Academic dishonesty (cheating) is not limited

to examination situations alone, but arises whenever students attempt to gain an unearned academic

advantage. PLAGIARISM is a specific form of academic dishonesty (cheating) which consists of

the misuse of published or unpublished works of another by claiming them as one's

own. Plagiarism may consist of handing in another person's work, copying or purchasing a

composition, using ideas, paragraphs, sentences, phrases or words written by another, or using data

and/or statistics compiled by another without giving appropriate citation. Another example of

academic dishonesty (cheating) is the SUBMISSION OF THE SAME, or essentially the same,

PAPER or other assignment for credit in two different courses without receiving prior approval.

When a faculty member discovers a violation of the university's policy of academic integrity, the

faculty member is required to notify the university's Coordinator of Student Discipline and Judicial

Affairs of the alleged violation, including the name(s) of the student(s) suspected, the class in which

the alleged violation occurred, the circumstances of the alleged violation, and the evidence

(including witnesses) supporting the allegation. The faculty member shall also formally notify the

student(s) suspected of violating the university's policy of academic integrity, the department chair,

and the school dean. The Coordinator for Student Discipline and Judicial Affairs shall conduct an

investigation, confer with the faculty member, student(s), and any witnesses identified, and review

all evidence submitted by the faculty member and student(s). Normally, the Coordinator for Student

Discipline and Judicial Affairs shall make a settlement agreement with the student for his/her first

violation of academic integrity with the following sanctions:

• final course grade of 'F'

• one-year 'academic probation' requiring a meeting with the Coordinator of Student Discipline

and Judicial Affairs prior to registration for each subsequent academic term of the

probationary year.

ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Office of Services for

Students with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible. Their office is located in SA 140, and they

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may be reached at 661-654-3360 (voice) or 661-654-6288 (TDD). If you have an accommodations

letter from the SSD Office documenting that you have a disability, please present the letter to me

during my office hours as soon as possible so we can discuss the specific acco mmodations that you

might need in this class. Further information on the SSD office and support services available to

you can be found at http://www.csub.edu/UnivServices/SSD/.

The campus accessibility policy can be found here:

http://www.csub.edu/UnivServices/SSD/CampusAccessPolicy.pdf.

NOTES: PLEASE PRINT OUT AND CONSULT THE COURSE SCHEDULE AND THIS

SYLLABUS REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER.

(1) Discussions: You are to participate in discussions a minimum of five times each week. You

should make significant and original contributions in at least three different forums (topics).

Learning to navigate the discussion board in Blackboard is your responsibility.

Discussion Leaders: During the week in which you are one of the assigned discussion

leaders, you are to post questions and participate in the discussions each day of the week.

There are a number of assigned discussion leaders each week. As one of the discussion

leaders for the week, you are responsible for managing and maintaining the discussions for that

week. I will post some questions to get things started. Make sure that all topics are covered.

The forums (topics) are organized around the assigned readings for the week. Please do not

miss your turn as discussion leader. You have only one chance to earn these points. Click on

the “My Grades” folder to check on your assigned week.

Discussion Participation: Click on the “Discussion Board” icon to participate in the

discussions. Each Monday discussion topics will be posted. I will post some questions and

will participate in the discussions when necessary. The assigned discussion leaders for the

week can begin posting their discussion questions on Monday morning. You are to confine

your discussions to the topics for the week. If there appear to be problems with the material I

will step in to clarify or redirect the discussion. I will also post discussion questions on

important material that should be covered and could help prepare you for the exams.

Although you may participate in the discussion any time during the week, you must do some of

the readings, review the case studies and/or watch the video(s) prior to participating in the

discussions. The discussions should be based on the course material. Any irrelevant

discussions will not receive credit. You may not cut and paste material. Any plagiarized,

inappropriate or irrelevant material will be penalized. Thirty percent of your final grade will

be devoted to the quality (not the length) and consistency of your participation. You are

expected to make original and grammatically correct statements, be brief and concise, and be

courteous and respectful of other students. You have the ability to edit your own postings in

Blackboard. Discussion grades will be determined at the end of the quarter. Follow

instructions and you should be fine.

The Discussion Boards for the week are available on Mondays through to the following

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Sunday. You will not be able to contribute to the discussions after 9:00 p.m. each Sunday. The

Discussion Board is available for your participation a week at a time. Pay close attention to

the discussions. Discussions will be a basis for a major portion of the exam material.

Important Note: Some course topics may be sensitive and controversial. We will all

behave like adults and observe the rules of civility, and respect and

be tolerant of one another’s opinions. The same rules of discipline that

apply in traditional classes will be observed online. Unreasonable

disruptions in our virtual classroom could result in disciplinary

action ranging from removal from the class to suspension from

campus. Please reference university policies on classroom behavior.

GE Reflection Discussions: After Exam 1, we will begin with the General Education

Reflection Discussions. Students will make two additional postings over and above

the five required weekly postings for the course. Two separate forums will be

dedicated to GE postings for a five-week period covering different areas of general

education. One forum will be devoted to student reflections on how a specific area

of the CSUB’s general education program (for example area A1 (Oral Communications))

contributes to an understanding of their major. The second GE forum will be devoted to

student reflections on how a particular area of CSUB’s GE program contributes to an

understanding of their future and career aspirations. The GE Reflection discussions will

be done over a five-week period (see your Schedule of Classes).

(2) Exams: There are two required exams (Exam 1 on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00

p.m., online and Exam 2 on Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm., online).

No make-up exams will be given. Each exam is worth 25% of your final grade.

The exams are not cumulative.

(3) Case Analysis: There are specific instructions for the research project which is a case

analysis on a current workplace gender or diversity issue. You need to have the case that

you are planning to analyze approved before proceeding. The deadline for submission of

the case analysis selection is date and time. Please download the instructions for

the project from the course homepage. See “Submissions” folder. Submit your Case

Analysis to the “Submissions” folder by the 9:00 p.m., Thursday, December 8, 2016

deadline.

(4) Communications and Trouble Shooting: You are to communicate with me and with each

other through Blackboard email. All communications pertaining to ECON 3008 must be

done through Blackboard email. Check the ECON 3008 Blackboard homepage regularly for

any announcements or new postings. This is your responsibility. If you are not online,

then you are not in class. Report any technical problems to Help Desk (661-654-2307) on

the Bakersfield campus.

PLEASE SEE THE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES FOR A WEEKLY SCHEDULE OF

READINGS AND ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS ALL SUBMISSION DEADLINES.